Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler have been hailed the “king and queen of comedy” by their colleagues in The House.

Elf star Ferrell, 49, and 45-year-old Poehler, who won a Golden Globe for Parks And Recreation, co-star in the film as a couple who start an illegal casino to fund their daughter’s tuition fees.

They both found early fame on Saturday Night Live and played rival ice-skaters in Blades Of Glory, but this is the first time they have topped the bill on a movie together.

Director Andrew Jay Cohen said: “King and queen of comedy, I like to call them.

“They are amazing, they’re so generous with each other, they’re so fast – it was a pure joy to watch them together.”

Ryan Simpkins plays their daughter Alex for whom they get involved in the illicit trade for in the comedy.

She said: “It was really intense for me getting thrown in between this comedy duo but it was amazing.

“They were some of the funniest people and were really supportive, I definitely learned a lot about improv.”

Co-writer Brendan O’Brien added: “It’s like a dream come true for a comedy writer because they are two of the funniest people in the world.

“They genuinely got a kick out of each other but it kind of makes sense, it’s kind of hard not to get a kick out of Will and it’s kind of hard not to get a kick out of Amy.”

Cohen says there is a serious aspect to the film and he tried to highlight the perils of a society where tuition fees are so exorbitant.

O’Brien added: “We live in a time right now where college is so expensive, where families are literally going bankrupt and taking out loans that they are paying for the rest of their life.”

:: The House is released in the UK on June 30.